A cyclonic or cyclone separator, such as the device 10 shown in FIGS. 1A-1D, is a cylindrical chamber with a tangential entry used to separate heavier material from lighter material. The cyclonic separator is an effective device for removing solids and/or liquids from gas. Likewise, the cyclone separator is used to remove solids from liquids or liquids from liquids. In all applications, the cyclonic separator separates and removes a heavier material from a lighter material.
As shown in FIGS. 1A-1D, existing cyclonic separators include a cylindrical or cyclone chamber 12, a cyclonic inlet 14 or a central inlet 15 with a baffle 16. The shape of the cyclone inlet 14 and baffle 16 causes an inflow substance to spin inside the cyclone chamber 12, creating a swirling flow within the cyclone chamber 12. Centrifugal force resulting from the swirling flow separates the heavier substance, forcing this heavier material (solids or liquids) towards the cyclone chamber 12 wall. The lighter material (gas or lighter liquid) flows upward through a cyclone separator's clean gas outlet 18 and the solids or liquids fall to the bottom of the cyclone chamber 12 where they can be removed, as seen in FIG. 1A and FIG. 1D.
Today, cyclonic separators are found in virtually every industry. For example, cyclonic separators are used in power stations, spray dryers, synthetic detergent production units, and food processing plants (see “Gas Cyclones and Swirl Tubes,” Hoffman et al., 2nd edition ( )). Cyclonic separators are also used in natural gas lines around the world. Gas-solid cyclones are also used to prevent pollution. Cyclonic dust collectors have been used to collect solid particles from gas-solid flows and reduce air pollution from chimneys.
It is noted that the prior art generally teaches polishing the interior walls of the cyclone chamber 12 to increase the chamber walls smoothness (Hoffman et al., 2nd edition (Page 49)). It is generally thought that smooth cyclone chamber 12 walls without obstructions will maximize the speed of the cyclone generated within, increasing the separating affect of the cyclonic separator 10.
Unfortunately, in the prior art, cyclone separators, such as cyclonic separator 10, the heavier material close to the cyclone chamber 12 wall are subject to high shear forces. The vertical component of the shear forces pulls some of the heavier material upwards with the lighter material. Further, in applications where the heavier material is a liquid, the shear forces cause liquid shattering and re-entrainment. Specifically, liquid droplets that travel towards the wall get sheared into smaller droplets that are hard to separate. The smaller droplets can exit the prior art cyclonic separator with the gas and cause a reduction in efficiency and capacity.
Improving the capacity of the cyclonic separators as described in this invention will positively benefit most users of these separators.